Whatever Wednesday Writings - Family Prank

Pranks are a must to a healthy family. After all laughter is good medicine…especially when that laughter comes at the cost of paying someone back who is usually the one that dishes out the pranks and if you know our family, you know WHO that someone is.

As most of you know we had to put down our 14 year old Chihuahua, Señor Harjo this past month and every day since then the kids have been beggin’, it was a bit depressing because he has not been gone that long. Then it came to pass…I joined in on the beggin’…after all the pitter patter of his paws on the hardwood floors, his fancy dancing in circles when I come home…are no more. It’s quiet here….besides the continual pleading.

The repetitive pleading was beginning to wear on Darryl, so Darryl proclaimed that the ONLY way we were getting another dog was if M.O.M. retired so she can take care of it…thus prank on dad was initiated.

It’s always good to have friends in high places that can make things happen quickly, thus this very official letter of my voluntary retirement of 21 years was born…effective June 1, 2014.

We all sat down at the dinner table and I started the conversation with, “So does anyone else miss Señor?” The kids were like, “Yes!” I said, “Me too.” Darryl said, “Surprisingly yes, I do. I dropped some food on the floor and I was like Señor will clean it up and I catch myself looking out in the back for him.”

I said, “I thought about what you said if we wanted a dog then I would need to retire so I could be home during the day to take care of it, so this is what I did (I handed him the letter).

Darryl begin to read the letter, his chewing slowed down, he begin to get that look in his eyes, the look that moms usually give their kids, then he retorted, “Well I guess our goal of paying off our home in 5 years isn’t going to happen. We are going to have to go back to a 15 year note. We may even have to sell our house.”

To which I said, “Well that is a good thing, we have wanted to downsize. Now we can move to Westmoore and Darya can finish out school there, it really is a win-win situation for all of us.” Darya, was like “Yes!” All of three of us continued with all the benefits of downsizing, living a minimal lifestyle, having a pet and living happily ever after. At this point I thought of this scrapbook page I did of us.

We carried it past dinner and you could see the disappointment growing. I asked Darryl, “Do you still love me?”

No answer, just that look.

So I asked again, “Do you still love me?”

To which he somberly said, “It’s just that I thought something of such great importance you would have talked to me about it.”

I said, “I thought it had already been discussed when you declared the only way we were getting a dog is if I retired to take care of it, so that is what I did. I didn’t realize we needed any further discussions.”

It was time to inform him that he had been pranked by his daughter, son and myself and that the letter was fake. Darya video recorded his response and here it is.

Yes, he still loves me and yes we are getting a new dog!! Now we are working on getting two dogs, you know so they can keep each other company; after all it is scriptural (sort of)…

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NKJV)

The Value of a Friend

Two are better than one,

Because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.

But woe to him who is alone when he falls,

For he has no one to help him up.

Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;

But how can one be warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.

And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Senor the Golf Dog

Today after church I was totally lazy and enjoyed a day watching the Masters. Something that my dad did every year, not the lazy part, but watching the Masters. He always wanted to go, but now he is with the MASTER, and I am pretty sure it is way better. But today, in memory and honor of my dad, I watched the final day in it's entirety. I watched the moments unfold, like watching "professionals" hitting out of the woods, out of the rough, the deep sand bunkers, from out behind trees and from on top of sticks. I. love. golf. Golf is one sport that keeps a person humble. Dad use to say, if you do bad in golf, you have no one else to blame. True. Tough stuff, but oh so much fun, because I love a challenge.

So here I sit on top of my comfy bed watching professionals under pressure trying to keep their feet on the wet ground when I realized that Mr. Senor Harjo was missing out on the action.

So I invited him up on my nice comfy bed since Darryl isn't here..shhhhhh....don't tell Darryl...but you see Senor Harjo is 12 years old, almost 13 and his eye sight isn't what it used to be and those golf balls are small! Just like a kid to get right in your line of vision. "Hey! Mister....down in front, your big ears are blocking that one corner of my view!" I say.

One of the things I love about Senor Harjo is his ears. Perky. Tall. Alert. It is what makes him CHIHUAHUA. But don't tell him, he thinks he is Mr. Senor Harjo, Head of Household (don't tell Darryl either). Plus those ears landed him the title of President of the Neighborhood Watch Program. He's famous. He gives lessons. He gives autographs.

Senor loves golf too. I think it is because he is so mellow. He probably dreams of running free on the nice shaved grass and marking every flag pole. Hey, a dog can dream right? I think he likes golf because it is a quiet game, no loud bells, whistles or buzzers, just hushes, soft golf claps and soft voices of English commentators saying things like, "he is like a weary old fox". No Senor he isn't speaking of you, lay down and watch. It's Sudden Death! So he lays down and I don't have the heart to tell him his back side is bigger than his ears. Oh well.

EEEEeeekkk! I am soooo excited! Sudden death! Extra holes. Senor Harjo is obviously not excited as I am. They are perfectly matched. I didn't really care who won. I loved the father/son combination of Angel Cabrera, but I also loved the chance to see Adam Scott win the first green jacket for Australia. The country I almost became a citizen of when I did a TDY tour there...another story...a love story.

January Photo A Day/Writing Assignment 1/11-12/2013

01.11.13 WATER

Water. Refreshing, cold water to splash on your face, to brush your teeth with or drink. I drink tap water, doesn't bother me a bit. In fact, as a child, I drank out of the water hose outside. Too bad the water picture didn't fall on Sunday, when we had a water baptism - perfect in my opinion - but instead you get a picture of my bathroom faucet pouring out water - quite practical.



01.12.13 SURPRISE

Surprise. Grandbaby visit on Friday. Which means pictures! Surprise, I know! Maddex loves to sit at the window and gaze outside, especially on windy days when he can watch the limbs and leaves blow on the tree and bushes. It is mesmerizing and perfect for a lazy morning in the neighborhood. The real surprise is that Maddex will finish the rest of today's post.

Life at NaNa's and PaPa's

As you can tell I am minding my own affairs, just gazing out the window intently thinking of apple juice, milk and bananas. Hey! No jokes about my ears and bananas! I know they are big and stick out, but that is how I was created and my family loves me just the way I was created.



Like I said I was taking in the scenery and having some infantile day dreams when someone else with bigger ears than mine showed up and joined me! It was my Fur Uncle Senor Harjo! He asked if I wanted to join him in a special duty. I said my mom says I do special doo-dee all the time! Count me in! He said, I had the ears and that was a very important physical feature to the job and not everyone has the right sized ears and they can't even acquire them if they wanted to, so I have been blessed!

Next he told me I had to have guts! I got those too! Then he said I had to have special abilities like being flexible with the ability to make moves like his very quickly and on command. He called this move "the duck". I am going to have to practice this one! 

The next skill he taught me was to cover the territory by watching in two directions. He looked one way and I looked the other. I think we covered this one pretty well.

There's a good reason why they've called spying "intelligence". You need to learn many skills and abilities, and fast! Each new operation calls for different skills, cover and legend, and you must be able to learn and internalize them in days. Na Na and Pa Pa say I have the best teacher in my Fur Uncle Senor Harjo because he is the President of the neighborhood watch program.



I can't tell you any more of our secrets because it would compromise the integrity of the neighborhood watch program. I hope I haven't told you too much already. I leave you with a good Word that "whatever I do, whether I eat bananas, drink apple juice, or serve in the special doo-dee forces, whatever I do, I need to do everything for the glory of God." Look it up yourselves, 1 Corinthians 10:31- well, it might not say bananas, apple juice and special doo-dee forces, but it does say whatever you do - do it for the glory of God!

Quiet time with Nana and Papa, I have my own Bible!

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 20 - Senor Harjo

Senor Harjo, our chihuahua, has been apart of our family since 2000. He may be small in stature, but he is big and vicious when it comes to protecting our home. Check out Senor Harjo as "Chihuahua Warrior" as he fights off the Warthog.

Today I am thankful for pets. Senor Harjo came to us when Darya was two years old and suffering with asthma and once he came to live with us her asthma went away. He has been apart of our family ever since then and has brought us hours of laughter and a ton of love.